Russell Goodway has dismissed the effectiveness of some anti-budget cut campaigns, claiming they are being orchestrated by Labour’s political opponents.

Russell Goodway has dismissed the effectiveness of some anti-budget cut campaigns, claiming they are being orchestrated by Labour’s political opponents.

Cardiff’s finance boss also launched a public attack on the South Wales Echo, suggesting the city’s local newspaper should be “banned” during the budget consultation.

He said the Echo added “nothing” to the process and that changes to the budget should not be portrayed as “humiliating climb-downs”.

Asked by the Echo to clarify his remarks, Coun Goodway insisted they were “in jest” and only the “totally humourless” could see them as serious, saying he wanted “less sensationalism and more constructive dialogue”.

During the course of a three hour grilling by councillors, the former council leader said “radical alternatives” were needed to keep services open, saying: “I just wish that it did seem we were all in this together, but sometimes it seems very lonely.”

Coun Goodway was pressed by councillors on why the administration had seemingly made a number of concessions in the face of strong public outcry.

Since the draft budget was unveiled on January 31, a proposal to close Cardiff Riding School to save £22,000 has been dropped while the council attempts to find an outside group to run it.

Splott Pool is still slated for closure in the second half 2013-14, but local Labour ward councillors have assured residents it won’t shut until there are firm plans for a replacement multi-million pound leisure hub.

Committee chair Elizabeth Clark, Liberal Democrat councillor for Cathays, described the handling of the Splott Pool issue as “disorganised”, saying councillors didn’t have the opportunity to scrutinise the new plans.

It was at this point Coun Goodway said: “I think it would be useful to ban the Echo during the consultation on the budget.

“If people have better ideas we ought to be able to build them into our proposals without the Echo saying it is a humiliating climb-down. It adds nothing.”

Pressed again by Coun Clark, he said the committee should be scrutinising the actual proposals and “not proposals put forward by the Echo”.

Asked by Llanrumney’s Labour councillor Keith Jones whether budgets in future years could be presented to the public differently, Coun Goodway said the authority had to be “careful about some of the views it receives”.

“We are always aware that on a particular issue you may get a campaign and all of a sudden you get 1,000 people saying that they use Splott Pool and getting rid of it would be a disgrace,” he said.

“Well if there was 1,000 people using it every week then we would not be getting rid of it. You get a sense that they get carried by a campaign.

“In the part of the Cardiff Riding School, it started off with them saying ‘don’t close it, we will run it for you’, and now I am being told: ‘If you are not going to close it, keep it in council ownership’.

“If a campaign is simply being orchestrated by a political party to have an advantage that is likely to have little curry when we do make a decision.

“I have been impressed with the way the bowls community has responded [six greens are proposed to close to save £22,000], some of the arguments they have put forward are compelling.

“That is likely to have more impact than campaigns, petitions and protests.”

He was backed up by council chief executive Jon House, who said much like author Hillary Mantel’s controversial speech about Kate Middleton, the budget had to be seen in its entire context.

He said the focus should not just be on those campaigns which can “articulate themselves quickly through social media”, but on the “much wider picture” of the budget.

“It’s important to understand that the riding school, Splott Pool and music service is a very small – miniscule – part of our budget. You have to look right across the budget,” he said.

Mr House also said some council staff affected by the cuts had made the situation “much more difficult” by turning to the “political or media sphere” rather than their line managers.

Independent councillor Adrian Robson said social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook had a “real role to play” in how the council receives feedback from the public.

“That is what engages people in this day and age. That is something that the council has to deal with. I am worried that those who are not involved in social media do not understand its power,” he said.

Coun Goodway said opposition groups had until Friday to put forward their alternative budget proposals to be considered at the Labour group meeting on Monday.

He described next Thursday’s full council meeting as “theatre” that would change nothing once the Labour group agrees the budget behind closed doors.

Earlier, Coun Goodway warned future budgets would be even tougher, with some service areas considered “discretionary” facing 90% cuts to protect areas like social services and schools.

“You have to ask yourself whether or not we are going to be able to continue to deliver those services at all by 2017,” he said. If not, Coun Goodway added, the council had a responsibility to find alternative ways to deliver them.

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